Innocent Target

by India Kells

  In front of his computer, James felt helpless in a video call that included Shane and Emme on one end, and Imari and Alex on the other. Nick was pacing in the kitchen, his hand twitching over his gun, mumbling to himself and cursing whoever took Mercy and Abbie.

  “I’ve tracked Rao’s phone, and he’s been nowhere near Ian’s place.” Alex was typing frenziedly, his eyes not leaving the screen. “And I’ve made sure his phone wasn’t a decoy. Hopefully, he has a rental car and hasn’t disabled the GPS. He headed for his hotel room and hasn’t moved since. Last activity was him purchasing some take-out. Food for one.”

  Shane looked angry, determined. Mercy was family to him and Emme, they all were. Emme was on the phone in the background, her voice low as she tried to get as much information as she could from her contacts. “Imari, you have to find Mercy. Can you ping her phone?”

  James didn’t expect much from it, which Imari confirmed.

  “They ditched it a couple of streets down, before we were able to get a clear direction of where they were going.” The curse coming from Shane echoed exactly how James felt. Imari kept her cool. “If it helps, I’ve launched a small tool of mine, one I intended to beta test first, but as this is an emergency, I’ve decided to start it now. I’ve implemented software that connects with every camera, every possible feed, as well as every photo on the Web. I’ve uploaded Mercy’s data and I’m waiting for the results. I’ve done the same for Abbie, using the pictures you sent me, James, but I doubt it will work for her as she’s only a baby. Facial recognition isn’t as powerful with children. Not yet.”

  All James wanted to do was take the laptop and throw it against the wall, but he knew that everything took time, and it wasn’t Imari’s fault. “How long until you get any information from that?”

  With a sigh, the hacker looked at Alex before turning to the camera again. “I’ve kept it local, only Florida and adjacent states. It’s only been a few hours since the abduction, so they can’t be far. The software is also checking toll cameras, so that will give us an edge, I hope. I don’t want to overburden the program, but as soon as it starts giving us information, I’ll upload what we have on Rao and Hull. If they’re linked in any way, it will confirm it.”

  James shook his head. “That’s a big if. We can’t rely only on Imari’s program.”

  Emme came back to sit beside Shane. “I totally agree, but so far, apart from reaching out to everyone we trust for additional eyes, we’ll have to go the usual route which is digging through Hull’s and Rao’s personal data. It will be all hands on deck for that one.”

  Time was sifting through his fingers, and he knew that they were running out of it. James ran his hands through his hair, trying to find an idea, any idea to speed things up.

  “Oh my…”

  Imari’s voice was so soft, so polite, James thought he’d imagined it. Her dark eyes were on a side screen, Alex all but perched over her shoulder. The intensity on his face was undeniable.

  Feeling about to crack, James leaned forward. “What?”

  Imari didn’t answer and instead typed a few keys until a new window appeared on the screen. Mercy’s beautiful face came up. It was a body shot of her, lying on a concrete floor. The lighting was terrible. Her eyes were closed, and blood trailed from her head and stained her top—the same top she’d on earlier. Close to losing it, James refused to believe she was dead.

  “Where did you get that?” James snapped at the hacker and didn’t care.

  “An attachment in an email sent to an unsecured account. My program recognized Mercy from it. I’m trying to decode the message.”

  James wanted to yell at the woman, order her to go faster, but instead, focused on the fact they were a step closer to getting to Mercy. Behind him, Nick had stopped pacing, his eyes now glued on the screen.

  Imari’s face turned to stone, and Alex cursed loudly. “Shit, man. Whoever has her, they’re trying to sell her. The coding is sketchy, but I can see different amounts of money—like bids. The recipient of the email is the buyer. The email was sent an hour ago.”

  He didn’t think it was possible to feel angrier than he did now. James wanted blood, and he didn’t care about justice anymore. Whoever had Mercy and Abbie would pay with their lives, and it wouldn’t be a quick death.

  Imari was breathing hard now over the phone. “The buyer is using a pseudonym I can’t crack, but he’s driving from Miami to Daytona tonight, so that means Mercy is in Daytona still.”

  Shane nodded. “Good work, Imari, but we need an address.”

  Ready to spring into action, James stood, Nick by his side, waiting for Imari to say the word.

  “You’ll need backup, guys. Kingsley is on his way back from the hospital, but even with the three of you, the odds aren’t good.”

  James shook his head. “Don’t ask me to wait, Shane. We can’t be sure Mercy’s life isn’t on the line as we speak.”

  His boss understood but looked grim. “You won’t have backup, so make sure you’re prepared for that.”

  James was prepared for anything. He would get Mercy out alive, and together, they’d rescue Abbie. That was the end of it.

  Imari gave a ragged breath before looking at the screen with eyes dark as night and shining with success. “Industrial site on Granada Street. I’ve logged the address in your GPS. You’re thirty minutes out, James. Go and save Mercy.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “We have to find a way inside. Now!” James wasn’t surprised when Nick didn’t answer him. His friend was driving and searching for an opening as badly as he was. When they arrived at the industrial site, the area was much bigger than he expected. Surrounded by high fencing with barbed wire, it contained a big warehouse as well as freight trailers lined up.

  Not only did they have to find an access point, but also where they were keeping Mercy. The main gate was closed when they arrived and, after driving around the area, they found two other entrances, one that hadn’t been used in years, another that was inaccessible.

  The other option was to cut through the chain link, but that would take way too much time. James was fighting between logic and that burning gut feeling, telling him that time wasn’t on their side.

  “I know, James. There are still people around, but I can’t tell if they’re employees or not. We’ll be outgunned if they’re on the wrong side of the law. Also, we don’t know if Mercy will be able to walk.”

  James remembered too well the blood on her skin and soaking her shirt, but he refused to see her in any way other than alive and well. It was the only way he wouldn’t lose his mind.

  “Imari is probably capable of taking control of the camera system. That we can ask. But how do we go through the gate?”

  James considered their options. “If Imari can disable the cameras, can she unlock the gate?”

  Nick didn’t answer and parked in a nearby street, staying under the radar as much as possible as James made a quick call and their hacker answered at the first ring.

  “Have you found Mercy yet?”

  “We’re at the spot, but we need help to get in.”

  “Like disabling the cameras?”

  A brilliant and quick-thinking woman.

  “Yes, and can you find a way to unlock the front gate?”

  A feminine chuckle came through the line. “You don’t ask for much.”

  Nick leaned in. “And as a bonus, can you find a way to cause some sort of diversion if you have a minute more? We left our bazooka at home.”

  Imari didn’t answer him, probably poring over her computers. “The cameras are a given, the gate I can arrange, the trouble with the diversion is that I don’t see what I can do to get everyone one… unless…”

  For the full minute she stayed silent, James thought she’d failed, but realized he was wrong as an alarm wailed through the windows.

  “I’ve blocked the system from alerting the police. I have eyes on you through the cameras. When you’re in, I’m going to turn it
off. Good luck.”

  The sun wasn’t completely set, and it was clear they couldn’t use darkness to conceal their presence. Instead, they left the car and dashed through the gate. It was the riskiest part of their invasion. Once inside, they used the trailers to their advantage to move as close as possible to the central warehouse.

  Men ran around as the alarm continued to blare, and one man exiting the building provided them a chance to enter.

  After going through the office area, Nick gestured for James to slide between a corridor of pallets. It was soon clear they were searching in the wrong place. At the back of the structure, the alarm finally turned off, and once his hearing stopped buzzing, James heard people returning and milling around.

  It was apparent the men inside the space were regular workers, so if Mercy was being kept in the building, it wasn’t in this section.

  Going back toward the offices, Nick took a position beside a door large enough for a lift to cross, meaning this was a brand-new section.

  It only took a couple of minutes to make sure nobody was around. James slid inside, followed by Nick. The place was dark, only the high windows providing defused light from the sunset. At first glance the place looked empty, but they couldn’t take the risk of being discovered.

  There were large refrigerators on one wall, the rest of the space was full of empty storage racks.

  “Is there anywhere else they could be keeping her, a second floor maybe?” James kept his voice as low as possible.

  Nick looked around. “Possibly. This place is huge. We still have a lot to check. Maybe Imari can give us a hand with the cameras.”

  As he took out his phone, James turned to look. There were eight units along the wall, but one had a steady green light that caught his attention. Leaving Nick to his call, James went to check the units. The doors were open, and a quick check confirmed they were empty. Only the unit that had a padlock on it was left. James turned to look at the vast, noiseless, and open space. Apart from the faint whirring of the only working refrigerator, James was at a loss. He tried to visualize the building and where to go next.

  Nick was still whispering on the phone and relayed their conversation to James. “Imari says the remaining employees are slowly leaving, but there’s a group waiting outside by the main gate. She can’t make out their faces, so I’m guessing they’re the men waiting for the buyer.”

  Fury spread through James, but he shook it off. Mercy didn’t need that now. “None of the cameras have shown Mercy so far?”

  His voice must have carried to Imari as Nick stayed silent a few seconds before shaking his head. “There are too few of them, especially inside. And as for outside, there are too many trucks and vans going in or out to know which one carried Mercy in.”

  A soft thumping sound resonated inside the warehouse. On full alert, the two men looked around, but didn’t hear the sound again.

  Nick hissed through his teeth. “We can’t stay here forever, James. What do you want to do?”

  If only he knew. The only idea he had was to retrace their steps to the office. It was the only logical place where they’d be keeping her.

  He was about to propose that solution when Nick went stiff as a rod. “Two armed men coming our way.”

  If they were armed, they weren’t ordinary warehouse employees. It was the fact they were coming their way that made him pause, but they were out of time. He and Nick took position on either side of the door, and with a nod, prepared to attack. They had to do this as discreetly as possible.

  The two guards never suspected they were in danger and were killed without a sound, apart from a few scuffles and their bodies hitting the ground. Quickly, they dragged both men behind a rack, it wasn’t a great hiding place, but it would have to do.

  “Why did they come here?” James looked at the two men before turning to Nick, who was on his phone once more.

  “Imari said the others are still outside. She’ll tell us if there’s movement.”

  It was all good, but James didn’t believe the men were just checking their surroundings. And they hadn’t gone to the offices first, which meant that wasn’t their focus. His eyes went to the refrigerator block once more. He didn’t want to think it, but an idea snaked through his mind and made him move.

  With an ear against the metal door, he listened and didn’t hear anything. With his fist, he banged twice—still nothing.

  Nick came to his side. “You don’t think…”

  “We need to get the padlock off.” James looked around for any kind of tool, but not before seeing the look of horror on his friend’s face.

  Nick raced to the two men and searched their pockets. He found two sets of keys, checking them in the dim light.

  All James wanted to do was shout Mercy’s name, but doing so would bring too much attention. Instead, he pressed his palms on the cold metal, praying he was wrong.

  Just as despair started to seize his chest, Nick found the key, and they opened the door. It appeared empty, but when their eyes adjusted to the blackness, they saw a still form huddled in the corner. James had no memory of entering, only Mercy in his arms, cold as ice, her eyes closed.

  Tears blurred his vision as he cupped her cheeks. A slight frost was melting from her lashes, and his hand went to her throat as Nick worked on releasing the bindings on her legs and searched for the key to the handcuffs.

  A thump vibrated against his fingers, followed by a slow inhale. She was alive.

  “Mercy? Baby? Can you hear me?”

  Nick finally got her free. “We need to get her out of here. She’s hypothermic and barely breathing. We need to get her warmed up.”

  James had difficulty breathing himself and looked around. “We can’t go out the way we came in. And we’re too far from the car.”

  Nick opened his mouth but closed it as Imari spoke. “A car just arrived. They’ll be at your location in a few minutes.”

  James picked up Mercy’s unconscious form and signaled for Nick. “The side exit before the dock. We can get out there.”

  Nick sprinted, gun out, as he was the only one capable of protecting the three of them. Luckily, the door unlocked from the inside and Nick made sure the coast was clear and held the door open for James.

  Once outside they had the choice of delivery trucks or trailers. The men didn’t have to speak, they had the same idea and went for a delivery truck.

  James tightened his hold on Mercy, willing her to open her eyes and give him hell for taking his time in finding her, but she remained still. His only comfort was that she was still breathing.

  Nick unlocked the truck and helped James inside. It was only a two-seater, so he had to keep Mercy on his lap, not that he minded. Honestly, he didn’t know if he’d be able to let her go beyond the reach of his arms ever again.

  Lying under the dashboard, Nick cursed profusely, working on jump starting the car. James rearranged Mercy to reach his gun, eyes trained on the door, waiting for the men to discover their hostage was no longer there.

  The moment the engine roared to life, two men came out and fired in their direction. James fired back as Nick sped away as fast as the truck could go. If they could get out of there, and back to civilization, they’d be safe.

  It took some doing, Nick using every trailer he could as cover until they went around the building, and then he pushed the truck to full speed. The men must have been inside by then, and there was nobody at the gate to block their way.

  Back on the road, eyes fixed on the mirrors, they saw cars coming at them from a distance. Nick didn’t slow down and took the next turn. They only needed a minute more, and they’d be on the main boulevard, and at this time of the day, it would be full of vehicles finishing work.

  Holding his breath, Mercy tight against him, James sighed with relief as they merged into the flow of traffic. Nick slowed a little, not wanting to bring unwanted attention to themselves. The vehicles following did the same but stuck close, only abandoning the chase when they spot
ted a patrol car.

  “Whoa, man, that was close.” Nick leaned against the driver’s seat. “Way too close if you want my opinion.”

  James had to agree on that and was about to thank his friend when Mercy started to shake. “Mercy, baby?”

  Nick didn’t say a word and blasted the heater in the cabin. “It’s her body fighting to regulate her temperature. It’s a good sign, man.”

  Holding her shaking body close, James rubbed her back and legs, whispering sweet nonsense in her ear, coaxing her back to him, teasing her to gain a reaction.

  As the adrenaline dissolved in his system, he realized how close he’d been to losing her, of never being able to bury his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair. What they had between them was new, but it now solidified into something so tangible, it was part of him. Mercy Broussard was part of his soul, and he’d make her see it too, as there was no question in his mind he’d ever let her go.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Mercy gasped as she came awake with a shock, her lungs sucking in air, heat racing before she even realized the reason. Warm, strong arms around her tightened, and she instantly knew who it was as confusion swamped her brain.

  “Shh, you’re okay, Merc.” James rubbed her arm, and she realized they were in a bed, but he was on top of the covers.

  “Abbie?” Her question came out on a hiccup as pain and guilt swamped her for not protecting the perfect little angel.

  James’s lips on her hair stopped her from looking into his eyes. She couldn’t bear to see the accusation and anger he must feel about her failure.